happy halloween!

(note: he is supposed to be a dinosaur)

I took an online strengths test for one of my classes today.
Below are my top five strengths (according to the test) . . .

Responsibility
People strong in the Responsibility theme take psychological ownership of what they say they will do. They are committed to stable values such as honesty and loyalty.

Achiever
People strong in the Achiever theme have a great deal of stamina and work hard. They take great satisfaction from being busy and productive.

Arranger
People strong in the Arranger theme can organize, but they also have a flexibility that complements this ability. They like to figure out how all of the pieces and resources can be arranged for maximum productivity.

Harmony
People strong in the Harmony theme look for consensus. They don't enjoy conflict; rather, they seek areas of agreement.

Relator
People who are strong in the Relator theme enjoy close relationships with others. They find deep satisfaction in working hard with friends to achieve a goal.

How do you use the phrase "troubleshoot" in the past tense . . .

... troubleshot??

... troubleshooted??

Just watched West Side Story for the 3 billionth time ... it never gets old

Stay back! [Maria takes the gun] How do you fire this gun, Chino? Just by pulling this little trigger? How many bullets are left, Chino? Enough for you ... and you?!? All of you ... you all killed him and my brother and Riff. Not with bullets and guns ... with hate! Well, I can kill too because now I have hate!! How many can I kill, Chino? How many ... and still have one bullet left for me? [Maria kisses Tony's lips] Te adoro Antone.

Route 56 Afternoon Adventure

Yesterday, we took the kids to laser tag at the Ultrazone
and lunch and In-N-Out. We had fun!

Click on this link for videos of real life success stories
... it sounds like something from a Christopher Guest movie!!

Sometimes I forget how much I love nature. It's so pure, beautiful and peaceful ... I think I feel closest to God when I am in nature.
Today, I walked down to a creek near my home. It was just me, the Word and nature (which, unfortunately included lots of ants too). It was calming and refreshing - I need to do it more often.

birthday dinner

We went to Buca di Beppo for Robbie and Dad's birthday. It was tasty

happy birthday joy!

feels like fall

I had my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the fall ... it was wonderful

a good story

Just about every two weeks, I fill my car at the local Shell Gas Station and pay the extra $3 for the drive-through car wash. I have found the car wash to be a great investment ... it takes off the first layer of dirt, it keeps my car looking clean for a good week or so, it saves me time and energy, it's so stinkin' fast & convenient and it's cheaper than a Starbucks latte!

I filled my car up with gas this past week and paid the extra $3 - but, it was raining so I just hung onto my receipt for a "nicer" day. After having lunch with Charlotte this sunny afternoon, I decided to stop by the car wash for a quick rinse and dry.

As I pulled in, something underneath the front/right side of my car made a LOUD crunching noise. At this point I became a little paranoid ... was my brand new car ruined? I thought maybe the side was smashed in or the tire was pulled off or something was ripped from the underneath. I had pulled in correctly (as I often do) so I had no idea what could have caused the noise ... I didn't run into one of the brushes or smash my car into the wall ... what happened!? So, all I could do was sit in my car and wait while the washing was being done. I waited and I prayed, "Lord, if my car is ruined, please fix it somehow supernaturally while I am sitting here. Please fix it before I even pull out of this car wash, Lord. Amen."

When the washing was completed, I pulled out slowly and heard the awful crunching noises again. I looked in my rearview mirrors, but I couldn't see anything behind me. I drove slowly through the giant car vacuums and watched a man in a truck pull up into the wash behind me. As he pulled in I heard the same noise come from underneath his truck ... I began to wonder if he was as puzzled as I was ... what could be wrong?? Well, I pulled my car alongside one of the pumps and as I came around the front of the car I realized my hubcap had been pulled off my wheel. It didn't take long for me to also realize that the large truck behind me had most likely caused his own crunching noise by running over my hubcap.

I went inside to the friendly cashier and told him my dilemma. He paused for a moment and then concluded, "yeah ... that's dangerous" He walked outside and stared at the car wash line (three cars long) and then decided to venture into the car wash himself in search of my precious wheel cover. Seconds later, he came out with a drippy wet head and my mangled hubcap in his hand ... "uhh, do you want this?" he asked me. I decided I'd keep it as evidence (and as a good conversation piece amongst my friends). Then he explained, "there are some papers and stuff that you can fill out, but I don't even know where they are so you will just need to call the manager on another day." I asked him to write me a note proving that the incident had happened. It read

Hubcap rip off 10/19
(his signature )

I decided that was good enough for me. I placed my mangled wheel cover in my trunk and I was on my way back to work.

have time to waste?

Check out this car parking game

inappropriate

women's long, painted toenails --- do you realize that it is one thing to have painted toenails, and another to have LONG painted toenails? do these women actually choose to keep their toenails long on purpose? can't you clip them down to a standard length? why grow them out to some ungodly length and then paint them?

professional football cheerleaders --- what purpose do they serve? do the fans feel more "pumped up" after hearing from those famous cheering ladies? aren't they freezing on the field? could they be wearing any less clothing and could the television photographers pick more awkward angles to photograph them from?

foul rap music --- does anyone relate to what is said in the songs? can most of the population even understand what is being said? is it some sort of contest to see how many swear words can be included in just one song? does it actually sound "cooler" when it is played louder?

the bachelor --- since when it is okay for a single man to go on a date with 50 women at the same time? don't these women have better things to do? doesn't the bachelor have better things to do? is there a woman who is really hoping to marry a man who "chooses her" after spending time with 50 other women first? are these women's families humiliated?

men's running shorts --- is it really necessary to wear shorts that are that short? and if the answer is yes, than I wonder if it is really necessary to wear them in public? can't your short running shorts be worn in the privacy of your own home?! does your thigh really need to be exposed in such a way? do the shorts somehow make you run faster?

feel free to add to the list . . .

conversation

Jenny: I dare you to apply at Hot Dog on a Stick

Joy: I dare you first

Jenny: uhhh...I already dared you

Joy: I was hoping you wouldn't notice

thank God for your brows

I bet when the neanderthal kids would make a snowman, someone would always end up saying, "Don't forget the thick, heavy brows." Then they would all get embarrassed because they remembered they had the big hunky brows too . . . and they'd get mad and eat the snowman.

enjoy the ride

One of my assignments from school this week was to do one thing for myself and then report it to the class. Some women bought a new shade of lipstick, while others bought an ice cream on the way home from work. I bought my favorite drink from Starbucks and sat outside and read a really good book for about an hour - it was great!

Sooo ... I am passing the assignment on to you now.
Go do something for yourself today and enjoy it!

PS: please post what you did in my comments

1 Corinthians 13

If I cast vision with the tongues of men and angels,

but lead without the love of God at my core,

I am a ringing cell phone or worse,

a clamoring vacuous corporate type.

If I have the gift of leadership and can provide direction,

build teams, and set goals, but fail to exhibit Christ-like kindness

or give Christ the credit for my accomplishments,

In the eyes of God, all my achievements count for precisely nothing.

If I give my salary to the poor, my reserved parking space to an intern,

or my deacons' bodies to be burned, but neglect to relate

and work in a manner worthy of the One whose name I bear,

In the final analysis, it all counts for precisely nothing.

A close, humble walk with Christ never fails.

It strengthens the heart, redirects the will,

restrains the ego, and purifies the motives.

It never fails.

When I was a young leader, independent and too busy to pray,

I blew stuff up and wounded every third person I led.

But now that I am mature and have left my childish ways ...

I do that somewhat less!

And now these three remain:

the faith to follow God boldly

the hope to press on even when my heart is breaking

and the love to enrich the hearts of all those I lead.

But the greatest of these is love --

the love that only comes from a quiet, close, daily walk with Christ.

happy october!